Mayfair residents say rat infestation has returned, urge city for help

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Residents in the Mayfair neighborhood of Philadelphia say a rat infestation that plagued the area last summer has returned, leaving them worried it will get worse with the warmer weather and the safety of children who play outside.

Neighbors say the rodents have been visible around homes, in trash, inside cars and escaping burrows to scurry across properties.

"Total aggravation. Sickening. Sad to see a neighborhood overrun by rats," resident Mark Mastrangelo said.

Anne Campion Marotta, who lives on Magee Avenue, said the problem has persisted since January.

"It gets my anxiety level beyond what it should be," she said. "My son goes out to work in the morning, and he's dodging rats as he goes down the driveway."

Marotta, who has lived in her home for 30 years, said she has never experienced an issue like this. She worries the rats could get inside.

"We have cats, but I think the rats are bigger than my cats," she said.

Mastrangelo, who lives on Fanshawe Street, said he had to cement his yard because of the rats and spent hundreds of dollars on traps and poison.

"I actually have a log down in my basement of how many rats I got last year. 34. That's 34 I caught. This year I'm up to 17," he said.

Residents filed complaints, prompting a visit from Vector Control with the city's Department of Public Health on April 13.

Marotta said inspectors did not see any rats during their visit. She hopes the city can help address what she believes is a larger issue of unmaintained properties.

"I just wish there was something they could do to help us get these people to clean up their yards and driveways so they don't have a place to nest and we can finally get rid of them," she said.

Pennsylvania State Rep. Jared Solomon said he plans to work with the city and residents to address the infestation and ensure trash regulations are followed.

"We'll make sure this is taken care of," he said. "They're right that we need to do everything to make sure that their block is safe and secure and they have a certain quality of life."

Mastrangelo urged officials to take action.

"Please just come out. Knock on my door. I'm here to help you," he said. "Let's do something to get rid of this problem because really, you shouldn't live like that."

Solomon said vector control crews are scheduled to return to the neighborhood at 9:30 a.m. Thursday and will continue visiting until the issue is resolved.